Detachable hook foe suspending boats



CHARLES L. WILLIAMS, OF QUINCY, FLORIDA.

DETACHABLE HOOK FOR SUSPENIDING BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,623, dated June 5, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. WVILLIAMs, of Quincy, in the county of Gadsden and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Device for Detaching Life Boats from their Davits; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, represents a side view of one of the devices for detaching a boat, showing the hitching bolt secured to the same. Fig. 2, is a view of a life boat hung from the davits by my improved attachment.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain some means for attaching or detaching life boats from their tackle, that will be automatic in its operation of liberating a boat from the tackle or davits, and that will form a secure attachment not liable to become casually detached; a plan by which a boat will be instantly liberated, immediately its bottom touches the surface of the water, so that all danger from its being stove in, or foundering, or from becoming accidentally detached while it is being lowered to the water will be prevented, at the'same time no care or attention is required more than to lower the boat by means of the blocks and tackle in the usual manner, as rapidly or as slowly as desirable.

My invention, to obtain these ends consist-s in the use of rods with conical enlargements on their ends that hang from the lower pulley blocks of the davits, and in applying fixedly to the stem of the boat to be hung from the davits, peculiar shaped brackets, which are provided with levers that in conjunction with shoulders formed on the brackets, receive and hold the conical ends of the rods that are attached to the tackle, by virtue of the gravity of the boat acting upon the lever, so that when the boat touches the water the levers will cease to act and consequently release the boat entirely from the tackle, all as will be hereinafter described and represented.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings, A represents a rod that is secured to the life boat in any convenient manner so as to stand in an upright position, and from one side of this piece A, proceeds out, and is curved upward a bracket piece B, to the top of which a lever C, is pivoted, as clearly represented in the drawings. This bracket is strengthened by brace plates D, D, that serve also to keep the long arm of lever C, in place between them.

The longer arm of the lever C, extends down a suitable distance below its fulcrum in the bracket B, and at a point where it would touch the straight bar A. On the bar is formed a beveled shoulder a. The end of the longer arm of lever O, is slightly grooved so as to form a recess into which the neck of the swinging rod G, fits, and if desirable, the shoulder a, may be grooved to assist in holding the rod G, at this point. The rod G, is round, with an eye 0, in its head, and a conical enlargement 6, formed on its lower end, (Fig. 1.) The eye 0, of this rod G, is secured to the lower block of the tackle permanently, and it serves to su port the boat, when the boat is properly attached to it, and this, with a similar bar, shown in Fig. 2, serves to support the boat at its bow and stern.

The method of attaching the boat to these bars G, G, is by pressing on a small foot lever J, which connects with the short arm of lever C, by a rod (Z, this pressure throws the lower end of rod G, up against the bar A, then by pressing the conical end of rod G, between the lever and shoulders, and elevating the boat by means of the blocks and tackle, the parts will be securely held together, and the boat supported at this point, then to detach the boat, it is only necessary to lower it to the water, and the moment its bottom strikes the water the long arm of lever C, will liberate the bar G, and assume the position represented in Fig. 1, in red lines, and the same with the other device, they will both be operated simultaneously.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of lever C, rod G, with shoulder a, on the bar A, and the treadle J, all arranged as and for the purposes specified.

CHAS. L. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

E. 0. LOVE, A. M. NATI-IANS. 

